Jack Warner speaks out.

[kicker]

think about this..when yuh get injured at this facility..where yuh going to get treatment? the hospital?

If they plan to build a major sporting complex without taking sporting injuries, treatment staff, on-site first aid and ambulances to the nearest hospital into consideration, then we need to take this discussion thread back a couple steps......Maybe I've been living away for too long, but I would hope that such concerns should not be major.....Were you serious about that question ?

[Feliziano]

we should just drop sports in T&T period for this generation...so what if we miss the next Lara or Latapy...who want to play sports for the country should pay for themselves...i feel we shouldnt help anymore cause they ent producing good enough results to justify spedning money on them...i had enough with people and their dreams..perfect example is that Gooding fella who is the triathlete..he just ent good enough..it have people who a lot younger than he always beating he arse..it seems people keep sponsoring he and he just on a f**king vacation all over the world...so thats what i mean by wasting peoples money..is best we spend money to get the people up to a socially intelligent level and get this ghetto mentality out their system...the people in this country going to evolve eventually and is either for the good or bad.
I know it have real smart people in this country but maybe they ent want to waste their time in the present conditions...too many decisions and policies are being made cause the government not getting much opposition...how could thing s change when u have the smart people questioning something and saying no and then the illiterate ones saying yes cause they were bribed (10 days & hampers) to say so.Majority is always going to win.

Sport ent going to get we nowhere unless we put things in place for the next generation..if that includes building this stupid stadium, so be it..at least its a start..even though everybody feels the government have ulterior motives (corruption etc)for it,including me.
I know i going to get lash for saying what i feel...but so what..we going to be sleeping in this grave for a long time to come unless the population change their ways and get their priorities straight.

[kounty]

Check out this scenario - lewwe say we make it to the world cup, and boom 2018 they say alright, we rotating the world cup around continents  and is caribbean and central america turn tuh host…2018 we down to we last drip of oil… trinidad (caribbean) way yuh stadium with retractable roof and the works?
Somebody think that that is how yuh does move into the 1st world.
Anthropologist show that while the pyramids was building in egypt, they went through famines, but that didn't stop them…they mighta be goin thru the same arguments we going thru now.
I dunno, maybe it have some heads in trinidad who want to make we out to be bigger than we really are…who feel that everything all right the way it is and we have the extra money.
I see a man mention teachers need more pay, but I hearin teachers makin over $5k (depending on your qualifications) and me ent find that too shabby…I was in tong last week and tings still relatively cheap.
But den again, the politicians hatta eat too eh, and is these kinda issues they have to bring up and have we fightin against each other so they could eat.

[kicker]

we should just drop sports in T&T period for this generation...so what if we miss the next Lara or Latapy...who want to play sports for the country should pay for themselves...i feel we shouldnt help anymore cause they ent producing good enough results to justify spedning money on them...i had enough with people and their dreams..perfect example is that Gooding fella who is the triathlete..he just ent good enough..it have people who a lot younger than he always beating he arse..it seems people keep sponsoring he and he just on a f**king vacation all over the world...so thats what i mean by wasting peoples money..is best we spend money to get the people up to a socially intelligent level and get this ghetto mentality out their system...the people in this country going to evolve eventually and is either for the good or bad.
I know it have real smart people in this country but maybe they ent want to waste their time in the present conditions...too many decisions and policies are being made cause the government not getting much opposition...how could thing s change when u have the smart people questioning something and saying no and then the illiterate ones saying yes cause they were bribed (10 days & hampers) to say so.Majority is always going to win.

Sport ent going to get we nowhere unless we put things in place for the next generation..if that includes building this stupid stadium, so be it..at least its a start..even though everybody feels the government have ulterior motives (corruption etc)for it,including me.
I know i going to get lash for saying what i feel...but so what..we going to be sleeping in this grave for a long time to come unless the population change their ways and get their priorities straight.

You make some good points, but I'm not with you on the attitude towards Gooding, and other athletes in our generation......

In addition I think sporting programs, if managed correctly could be used as part and parcel, of the societal mend that we all know Trinidad needs. Discipline, sportsmanship, dedication, hard work, a sense of team, ambition, loyalty, patriotism etc........all qualities that can be learnt through sports.......all qualities upon which communities can begin to build, in the interest of cleansing our society.....But you're correct, sport cannot stand alone....and it goes way beyond building a sports complex, or putting money into community projects....

Social reform though, is a total package in which I think sport can play a huge part...and the issue, like I said in a previous post, is not in whether or not the gov't builds the complex......it's whether or not the authorities have the vision to realize that there are many things within in their control, that should complement the complex, that are alot more important than the complex itself..........

[maxg]

it's whether or not the authorities have the vision to realize that there are many things within in their control, that should complement the complex, that are alot more important than the complex itself..........

So in in your opinion do they? Do you think they have exhibited or developed a successful history of managing major projects, like for example doing their jobs well,as they were elected to ? Besides their great display of governing, what other major project have they undertaken ?

ah  Mtl bandido once givin stories, bout his 1 st trip back home, he was at a party in Hilton, and a Govn. minister ask him what type of work a past  bright student and obviously upstanding man like himself does in Canada...to which he answered "Like you sir, I found it more beneficial to lock people neck" To which the Minister winked and said "Meh boy"

[JDB]

I see a man mention teachers need more pay, but I hearin teachers makin over $5k (depending on your qualifications) and me ent find that too shabby…I was in tong last week and tings still relatively cheap.

What town were you in? Couldn't be POS?

[Richard G.]

Ok people. I'm not home and I am unable to see, hear and disect everything that is going on in the homeland. But there are some things that I know that should be talked about.

Now as the world goes, everybody has something to talk about.At the same time not everyone will be heard. In fact, the only ones that are heard are the ones with all the $$$$$$. More money, more power, more voice. Hence Mr. Warner and so many other people in places of power (very wealthy people too).

I don't like the idea of spending $850 milllion on a sports complex. To me this seems like money wasted and misused. I cannot understand the logic behind using that much money on one specific item and not disecting and diversitying the funds for the betterment of many other needy areas within the country. Is Patrick Manning telling me one $850 million facility will stop crime? Is this the only other option in his (and the PNM's) plan to curb all these murders in our beloved nation? I can give examples of places that could use 10% of this money (even less depending on the organization) to better infrastructure and give these organizations a major boost (mind you quite a few of them are in Tobago). I still find it difficult to understand the logic to this, even after KND's rant (and KND has made many great points).

Now as for Mr. Jack Warner I understand his argument to an extent. My limit is when there's a conflict of interest. This conflict of interest being position, power and politics. We've seen this before...U-17 World Cup. Now personally having one of these stadiums in Tobago has done a bit of good for my home island. There's a certain pride that comes with it, along with a certain amount or new-found...dare say determination to suceed. But this ius something Tobago needed for soooo long. It's a bit of a shame that someone like Mr. Warner has to have his word/words concerning anything sports/politics related. But as I said, money + power = voice

I don't necessarily like the euqation but unfortunately this can't be helped.

Lata and blessings
Enjoy the night
Richard G.

[kounty]

I see a man mention teachers need more pay, but I hearin teachers makin over $5k (depending on your qualifications) and me ent find that too shabby…I was in tong last week and tings still relatively cheap.

What town were you in? Couldn't be POS?

yes POS.  I buy two short pants for $50 right in the lil tents off of charlotte st, between prince and DUke.  Now compare that - thaz $3.97 US for a pair of pants...ask all the fellaz in the US if they could find that.  Doubles is $2...thaz Us 32 cents .
Now if you talking about Nike pants nad ting expensive, well then it clear you on a different beat...]
but seriously,  it must have some indicator of cost of living to average salary, and truth be told trinidad probably have one of the best of them ratios in the world.

[Feliziano]

the people who bawling bout cost is basically people who ent want to work hard or who just want to survive on handouts...life isn't all about buying KFC every Friday and wearing the latest fashions...$3000 a month is more than enough to get by in Trinidad..if you single that is and don't have a flashy lifestyle.

I hear some of allyuh talking bout maintenance of the stadium...normally things woulda just get run down...but don't worry...we got CEPEP now!!..we will have bout 5 company doing the work...1 cutting the field, 1 cutting the grass outside, 1 sweeping the car-park, 1 watering the lawns and 1 cleaning the toilets...oh ah forget the next 10 Ghost gangs too..they sure go finf work for them too lol.

[kicker]

it's whether or not the authorities have the vision to realize that there are many things within in their control, that should complement the complex, that are alot more important than the complex itself..........

So in in your opinion do they? Do you think they have exhibited or developed a successful history of managing major projects, like for example doing their jobs well,as they were elected to ? Besides their great display of governing, what other major project have they undertaken ?

ah  Mtl bandido once givin stories, bout his 1 st trip back home, he was at a party in Hilton, and a Govn. minister ask him what type of work a past  bright student and obviously upstanding man like himself does in Canada...to which he answered "Like you sir, I found it more beneficial to lock people neck" To which the Minister winked and said "Meh boy"

They haven't.....hence why I say that people's skepticim is warranted. However some of the opinions on this thread have been missing the boat and many arguments are all over the place. If one really wants to assess the possible good/bad of the complex, we need to consider the relevant issues....and as a concerned public demand the necessary, based on the relevant issues, not just grumble from the sidelines about each and every thing remotely related to society, sports, politics etc...................ya dig ??

[dcs]

So this reinforces the idea of having the Stadium AS WELL AS everything else.
If they really cud get that interchange and train system going we would be in good shape transportation wise.  Hopefully they design it so that they can also have cargo trains running alongside to reduce the number of trucks on the road.  Ideally those tracks would run straight from both the POS and Sando seaports.

Imbert: Over $15b to resume train service
Anna-Lisa Paul alpaul@trinidadexpress.com
Trinidad Express
Thursday, August 4th 2005

[/b]

Government is considering the re-introduction of the train system as a solution to public transportation woes.

The estimated cost of this project is more than TT$15 billion and could take as long as ten to 15 years to complete if it is started in the near future.

While this suggestion has received Transport Minister Colm Imbert's nod of approval, he has warned that such a project would take considerable time to complete and commission.

To this end, Imbert is hopeful that by the end of 2005, the Ministry will be able to invite proposals for a limited first phase rail system that will deal with the most widely used section of the East-West corridor.

Imbert was addressing a breakfast meeting of officials of the Ministry of Works and Transport and other public and private sector stakeholders at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, Port of Spain yesterday.

Speaking with reporters following the meeting, Imbert said the train system would help alleviate traffic woes as it would link Diego Martin to Port of Spain and Port of Spain to Sangre Grande and San Fernando.

He said the "Park and Ride" system would be implemented.

This would allow vehicle owners to secure their vehicles in designated parking stations and catch the train to get to work.

Asked if parking areas had already been designated, Imbert said they would be close to the main transport station, either near City Gate or where land was available, such as in the area of the Port of Spain port.

Presenting various components of the Comprehensive National Transportation Study (CNTS) which he said was "exceedingly relevant and long overdue", Imbert said the CNTS was the grand-child of the original National Transport Plan (NTP) developed in 1967.

He explained: "We are at least 20 years behind time with this project."

This was because nothing had been done to review and revise the NTP from 1967, and this resulted in congestion on the roads today, Imbert added.

Admitting there were challenges to the introduction of a train system, Imbert noted that he did not expect this system to affect maxi and taxi drivers as they could adjust to provide short drops or inner city transportation.

With regard to the Interchange, Imbert said designs had finally been agreed upon.

They do not include traffic lights so as to facilitate the free flow of vehicles. Construction of the Interchange is expected to start by the end of this year.

[AB.Trini]

Dcs,
If only the damn opposition could only wake up and support these initiatives all will prosper!!!!

[JDB]

but seriously,  it must have some indicator of cost of living to average salary, and truth be told trinidad probably have one of the best of them ratios in the world.

Not if that indicator includes basic necessities as housing and utilities.

Trust me things are not as nice as it might seem.

Trinidad right now is operating on a 6:1 economy in most things. There was a time when if you convert the cost of things 6-1 most things would be cheaper in TT than the US. Food, Transport, housing would work out better. Electronics, cars and direct imports would work out to be worse. Now it is almost dead even, yet we not making six to one in salaries. Yuh talk bout doubles. Go to any food court and order a pice of pie callalloo and a piece a chicken. How much that cost? A good $30 dollars, 35 if yuh buy a drink.

Don't even talk about housing. That is a straight expat, making US dollars, market. It is ridiculous that you cannot get a decent house if you not making $7000 (minimum qualifying income eh man). ANd I not talking about no posh place eh.

The only thing cheap now is car and look at what that resulting in one set of traffic and mad people on the road.